INTERVIEW WITH REV,TOWERS OF LONDON: A MUST READ!!

• 17th Mar 2007

What was it like opening for guns and roses?
Well let’s say one thing I grew up listening to Guns and Roses, the guitarist Slash was like one of my big heroes, even though he wasn’t in the band and it wasn’t the original line-up just the fact that we were supporting Guns and Roses has got to be the biggest deal for any band. Were walking out the stage to 45 thousand people at Manchester your shitting a brick basically, but it’s also one of the times were you’ve got to go right ok now we’ve got to prove that were up to it, and yeah it was a big moment for me personally. I would say they were two of the best gigs we’ve ever played!

Was it everything you expected it to be or more?
Everything and more, everything and more defiantly the fact that we got to meet Axl. We were told as soon as we got there that when we finished we had to clear the dressing room and no one was aloud anywhere near him. We ended up being right by the side of the stage by the pyrotechnic guy and we spoke to Axl asking what does he read, travelling and stuff, and we ended up getting on the beers with him. It’s a bit surreal it’s a bit like that scene out of Wayne’s world were there hanging out with Alice cooper, but I had to hold it down a bit. I did get a bit pissed an asked him to sign a load of stuff got my jacket signed. It’s a test of what type of band you are, some bands I think wouldn’t have been able to rise to the occasion but I think we stepped up a gear there, it was just a great two shows.

How did it compare to supporting the New York dolls?
It’s completely different we did quite a few shows with the New York Dolls, there quite a nostalgic band, and I love the New York Dolls I really do love the New York Dolls. I mean there was only Sylvain Sylvain obviously the rest of them are dead. Had it been Johnny thunders it would have been greatest but. Even playing with the Dolls and meeting David Johansson he was a legend and you no once again for kids like us, who grew up listening to that type of music and was really into the Dolls so it was just a surreal experience. You know you’ve just got to take it in your stride its just one of those times when I thought actually you know, because they were fans of ours they liked our music it was a bit weird. But there just no comparison every time you play with your favourite band it’s just completely different.

What’s your favourite song to perform live and why?
‘I’m A Rat’ and ‘Beaujolais’ are my two favourites. I think its some of my best guitar rifts in that, in those two tunes. Recently we’ve played a couple of new songs The Bible and The Towers Wallace I mean at the minute The Bible is one of my favourite songs, I think just because it’s a new tune and it’s got a great rift and its just sounding fucking awesome! I think everything is a favourite every single song on the album gives me something different to do, but if I had to pick two it would be ‘Im A Rat’ and ‘Beaujolais.’

You’ve been compared a lot to Motley Crue and the Sex Pistols would you say that’s a fair comparison?
Well I don’t think we sound anything like Motley Crue but obviously that’s more the hair, the tight pants an the way we dress but yeah you no I was a massive Motley Crue fan and always have been. The boys didn’t even know who Motley Crue were until I joined. The Sex Pistols I think it’s just the whole London thing or sort of the punk attitude, you no it’s something iv never really complained about being compared to two great bands, but I think you know were completely different to those bands in many resects but there very inspiring bands.

Yeah I’m going to see Motley Crue this year at download so I can’t wait
Yeah yeah we played with them in Rock am Ring it was fucking wicked!

You’ve performed a few shows in New York what was it like performing there, and how does it compare to the UK?
It’s completely different really, the shows that we did in America. Were a completely unknown band there in retrospect so, we were part of a music convention called CMJ. The crowds were fucking awesome, New York is an amazing place its like any part of America when any bands go over there it’s a real eye opener because you can be fucking huge over here an going over there and playing to 250 people. But the New York shows were great we got some good crowds over there and we fucking had a laugh. Were just waiting to go back there now, now the albums been out. In America you don’t release singles it just goes on albums, and our album hadn’t even been out there by the time we went over so we might as well have been an unsigned band. We had some great shows there its very much like London on speed.

Do you think the Medias perception of you is fair or do you think a lot of it is blown out of proportion?
Well most of it is but we don’t really pay much attention to the media a lot of it is very blown out of proportion, the stories coming out about us are just fucking insane. But you know you’ve just got to let them fly and let it roll, all press is good press.

So you think all publicity is good publicity?
Of course it is yeah I mean people love to write about us they love to hate us they love to love us so, were not gonna go round like ‘Oh that’s not true so just take it at face value.’ I don’t believe a single thing I read in the tabloids. Come see for yourself basically, you know we really don’t pay any attention to anything people write about us, not saying anything about this obviously I mean tabloids press an stuff.

How would you describe your relationship with the rest of the band?
Were tight as a bears arse, were fucking best friends you can’t be in a band with people that you don’t like. You’ve got to live in a tour bus with them for three weeks at a time, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. So you’ve got to know each other inside out, I’m not saying we haven’t had our ups and downs, we haven’t had our fights and arguments because we have, but I think it the ability to get over that, that makes the band. You know we’ve always said from day one were more of a gang than we are a band, were a gang of best mates. You know we’ve got each others back 24 hours a day were best mates.

So that’s what makes you who you are that you are all so close?
It definitly makes us who we are yeah and I don’t think theirs a band around there who’ like us at all An whoever says they are I think its bullshit, I mean I would die for these lads, and that’s what basically makes you a band.

What do you think of the British music at the moment and what do you think you bring to it that perhaps other bands don’t?
I think we bring fucking testosterone and bollocks, sex and greatness to the British music scene. I think the British music scene is very healthy at the moment there’s a lot of good bands coming out, but I just think they’ve got no balls. I think there all so scared so conformative, there too ready to kiss each others arse.

Do you think they should take more risks?
Well not take more risks just fucking be true to themselves I think the only band that have come out with any bollocks in the last year or so is The View. I mean we’ve known those guys for along time and they remind us a lot about ourselves they just don’t care.

How do you find the fans up in Manchester?
Manchester is one of the best places to play, this is the first place to sell out on the tour, and you know it’ just a fucking shame that there are kids outside who cant get in. I mean they call it Mad Chester for one reason. We always have a good night, the kids never fail to go mental for us, we fucking vibe off that we get involved with them. So it’s always a big tick next to Manchester.

What is the most rock and roll thing that’s ever happened to you?
Well I was kidnapped once, someone stole are van and I was asleep in the back off it.

Did they know you were in the van?
No I was fast asleep in the back of the van an someone stole it, I actually woke up and realised someone had stole the van and strangled them with my chain, and they got out and I got glassed. That’s pretty rock and roll.

Did you have to drive the van back?
No I didn’t I was wasted so the police were tailing the van because they had seen it had been stolen. So that’s probably one of the most rock and roll things that’s ever happened to me. We got barred from all Travel Lodges for life.

All travel lodges?
Yeah for life, were not allowed to stay in a single Travel Lodge in the UK. Just for, I think we had a bit of a party one night. No TV’s were thrown out the window but I think a lot of damage was done, a lot of spit an beer, an cigarette burns all over the place .

Did you offer to reimburse it or not?
No of course not. We got escorted out off there by six police men and a riot van.